Signal-telegraph.



Patented Mar. 18, I902. E. g E. J. LAVENS. S|GNAL TELEGRAPH.

(Application am. am 7, 1901.

4 Shuts-Sheet i.

5 lNVIENTORS l 8 B ATTORNEY 7 Patented Mar. 18, I902. E. & E. J. LAVENS. SIGNAL TELEGRAPH.

(Application filed J's-n. 7,1901.)

4Sheets-$heat 2.

(No Model.)

No. 695,568. Patented Mar. I8, I902. E. & E. J. LAVENS.

SIGNAL TELEGRAPH.

3 t B 8 h A 8 t 8 B h s 4 m 9 1 7' M n .m B .m m M J M o u o n WITNESSES:

ATTOR N EY Patented Mar. 18, I902.

. E. &. E. J. LAVENS.

SIGNAL TELEGRAPH.

(Application mm In '1, 1901.

4 Shoe ts-Sheet 4.

(No Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ERVVIN LAX ENS AND EDlVARD JOSEPH LAVENS, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

SIGNAL-TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 695,568, dated March 18, 1902. Application filed January 7, 1901. Serial No. 12,448. (No model.)

To all 1071,0772 it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ERWIN LAVENS and EDWARD J osnrn LAVENS, citizens of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal-Telegraphs, of which the following is a specification.

Our improved signal-telegraph consists, esscntially, of an order-transmitting instrument, an order-receiving instrument, and an electromagnetic circuit-controlling device intel-posed in suitable circuits between the two, the object of the invention and arrangement of parts being, first, for the purpose of permitting an officer to send an order-for instance, to the engine-room of a vessel-and be informed by his own act that his order has been received, and, second, by the act of the engineer in the engine-room that such order has been executed, and, further, by the special arrangement of parts insure that in case one portion of theindicating apparatus should be disabled for any cause a second portion would be operative, or in case both of such portions are disabled that the signal apparatus so far as relates to the transmission of orders and considered apart from the indicating apparatus will still be effective.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate our invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a transmitting instrument and a receiving instrument in circuit with the accompanying parts, both instruments shown as front elevations with a portion of theirinterior mechanism in dotted lines. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to Fig. 1 and showing the circuit connections between the different parts. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the transmitting instrument with the front dial removed. Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the transmitting instrument. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the receiving instrument with a portion of the cover broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the receiving instrument on the line X X of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one magnet, lamp, and shutter of the receiving instrument as shown in Fig. 5.

Similar numerals and letters indicate like parts.

In the drawings, A indicates the transmitting instrument; B, receiving instrument; C, dynamo-electric machine or other source of electrical energy; D, electromagnetic circuitcontrolling device interposed between the transmitting and receiving instruments and preferably located in the engine-room; E, engine-room switch under the control of the engineer; F, electric bells.

The transmitting instrument consists of an iuclosing casing 10, which may be of wood, rubber, or other similar material and provided with an order-transmitting handle 11, mounted on a shaft 12, carried in the hubbearing 13, secured to or forming a part of the casing 10. The front of the casing is closed by a glass plate or dial 14, painted or otherwise colored upon its interior, excepting where the words indicating signal-orders appearas, for instance, as is shown in Fig. 1, where at the right-hand side of the plate or dial appear the words Ahead, Slow, Half, Full; at the center, Stop, at the left, Aster-n, Slow, Half, Full. Any other system of signatorders may be employed. The glass plate or dial 14. is held in position by means of a suitable securingring 15.

Located equidistant around the top of the casing 10 and corresponding in position with the signal-orders on the face of the instrument are V-shaped slots 16, and cooperating with these slots is a plunger 17, with a V- shaped point. The top of the plunger is connected to a lever 18, pivoted in the handle 11. Arranged under the upper arm of the lever 18 is a spring 19, which serves to force the leveroutward and push the end of the plunger 17 downward into the slot 16. Connected to the handle and projecting downward over the face of the plate or dial 11 is a pointer 20. Situated within the casing and secured by means of studs 21 is a plate of insulating material 22, on which is mounted a series of contacts-to wit, first, a series of six separated plates H, arranged equidistant, over the upper half of the face of the instrument and electrically connected by means of a plate 23 on the back of the insulating-plate the plates H being located midway between the slots 16 on the outer surface of the case of the instrument; second, a series of .seven separated contact-buttons I to'l", inclusive, insulated from each other; third, a series of seven separated contact-buttons J to J inclusive, electrically connected through a plate 24 on the back of theiusulating-plate 22, the contact-buttons 1 to I? and J to J beinglocated in pairs in positions corresponding to the positions of the slots 16; fourth,an annularcontact-ring K, located at about the center of the insulating-plate 22. At the bottom of the insulting-plate 22 are a series of ten terminals 25, through which the transmitting instrument is connected-in circuit with a source of electrical energy, the electrom agnet device D,

and the receiving instrument.

Mounted upon the shaft 12 and rotating with it is an arm 26, carrying spring-pressed contact-pins LMN 0. These pins are insu-" lated from the arm and from each other by means of the bushings 27.

Arrangedwithin the handle is a switch P,

which is normally closed.

Mounted on a suitable standard in the iuterior'of the casing and immediately back of the glass platevor dial 14 are two electric lamps G G preferably of different colors.

The receiving instrument B consists of an inclosing casing 30, provided with' a glass plate or dial. 3l, painted or otherwisefcolored upon its interior, except over the circular portions 32 33. The portions marked 32 we 'prefer to give 'a' color contrasting to that of the body of the plate. For instance, ifthe body of the plate is black the portions 32 would be colored red or blue. The portions marked 33 are preferably left clear and transparent.

of orders'may' be increased or diminished.

Mounted upon a suitable standard inrthe interior of the receiving instrument and immediately back of the circular portions 32 are thelamps G and magnets R." Situated under j each magnet B, Fig. 5, is an armature 34,

secured to an arm 35, pivoted to the magnet supporting frame at 36'. On the forward end of the arm 35 are mounted insulated contactpins 37 38. Projecting transversely from the armature are the pivot-pins'39, which "are supporting frame.

carried through two arms of a lever carrying on its forward end a'shutter40, located behind one of the clear circular portions 33 and pivoted at its rear end at 41 to the magnetbe observed on reference to Fig. 4 that there Located under the con are two contactplates and two terminalplates for .each magnet.

The electromagnetic the receivinginstrument and the transmit ting instrument, consists of anordinary mag net, under which is located a pivoted armas E ture 46; on the end ofwhich is mounted the contact-pins 47 48. The construction of the device is such that when the magnet is ener.

gized the contact-pins 47 48 move downward and make contact with contact-plates 49 50" arranged under them.

connected at one terminal to the series of contact-terminals 45 atthe.receivinginstrument and at their opposite terminals to the series I of contact-buttonsl I I I I I I at the trans mitting instrument; I), a conductor connecti [80. a a a a a on a indicate conductors, each 5 ing all the series of contact-terminals 44 at I the receiving instrumen't;c, a conductor connecting all the series of contact-plates 42; d,

a conductor connecting all the series of contact-plates 43; b, a conductor connecting conductor b and the contact-terminals 44 with the contact-pin 47 at the electromagnetic device;

c, a conductor connecting conductor c and contact-plates 42 with one terminal of the lamp G at the transmitting instrument; (1, a

conductor connecting the conductor d and contact-plates 43 with one terminal of-thelampi m G at the transmitting instrument; 6, conductor connecting oneterminal of the magnet D of the. electromagnetic device with the se-- ries of contact-plates H at the transmitting instrument; f, a conductor connected at one terminal to the conductorb', passing through the bellsF and connected atits oppositetertransmitting instrument; 6, a conductorconv nected atone terminal with the magnet D and at the other terminal to one contact of the en gineers switch E; 6 a conductor connected at one terminalto the contact-plate 49 of the electromagnetic device and at its oppositeend to one contact of the engineers switch E; e a conductor connecting conductor 6 with one brush of the dynamo-electric machine 0; g, a conductor connected to one terminal of each of thelamps (JV-G and to contact-button J of the. transmitting instrument; It, conductor leading from terminal plate 45 to one terminal of magnet R; z, conductor leading from the opposite terminal of magnet R to termi nal plate 44; j, conductor leading from conductor'i to one terminal of the lamp G, thence through lamp to contact-pin 37; k, conductor leading from contact-pin 38 to conductor h.

It will be seen from thedescription and drawings that the lamps G at the receivingstation are arranged to be individually coureceiving-station are arranged to be individually coupled in series with the lamp G at the transmitting-station, and also that the magnets at the receiving-station are arranged to be individually coupled in a separate circuit from those including the lamps at the transmittirig-station, and, further, that these three circuits are in parallel.

The operation of our improved device may be described as follows: Assuming the handle to be in the position shown in the drawingsi. 6., with the pointerover Stopwith the handle in this positioni. 6., at rest over one of the slots 16-the plunger 17 engages in the slot and the switch P is closed. Contacts 37 42 38 43 at the receiving instrument and 47 L9 48 50 at the electromagnetic device are separated and all circuits from the source of energy open. It, now, it is desired to transmit the order slow aster-n, the handle 11 is moved to the left". This movement of the handle to the left brings contact-pin L in contact with plate H, thereby establishing a circuit to energize the magnet D of the electromagnetic device, said circuit being as follows: from plate 11 by conductor a to magnet D, by conductor 0 to engineers switch E, by conductors e c to dynamo C, from dynamo by conductors ff to contact-ring K, to contact-pin N, by conductor Z to contactpin- L. The effect of closing the circuit described through the magnet D of the electromagnetic device is to bring the insulated contactpins i7 48, respectively, in contact with the contact-plates i9 50, thereby establishing two circuits, one to the bells, by reason of which the fact is audibly indicated at the transmitting and receiving stations that the line is in order, and one to maintain the activity of the magnet D after the first circuit, as described, between the transmitting instrument and the magnet D is broken by the further movement of the handle to the left. The circuit through the bells is as follows: from dynamo O by conductor f to bells F, by conductor Z), contact-pin 47, contact-plate 49, by conductors e 6 back to dynamo. The circuit to maintain the magnet D is as follows: from dynamo O by conductor f to contact-plate 50, contactpin 48, by conductor 8 to magnet D, by conductor e to engineers switch E, by conductoi sc e baclztodynamo. Further-movement of the handle to the left causes the contactpin L to leave the contact-plate II. This breaks the first circuit established through the magnet D. The magnet D, however, is maintained active by reason of the circuit including the magnet and the source of energy, as described. As the movement of the handle is continued to the left the contact-pin M is brought in contact with the contact-button I and at this point the plunger 17in the handle is allowed to drop in the slot 16. This establishes a circuit to the receiving instrument as follows: The circuit to the receiving instrument is from dynamo O by conductors ff, contact-ring K, contact-pin N, conductor m, included in the handle 11 of the transmit ting instrument, to one terminal of the switch P, thence to contact'pin M, to contact-button I conductor ed, to terminal plate l5 at the receiving instrument,tl1ence through conductor 72', magnet It, conductor 2', terminal plate ll, conductor 1), to contact-pin i7, contact-plate 4-9, conductors c to dynamo, which coinpletes the circuit. The closure of the seconddescribed circuit through the magnet R causes the magnet to actuate its armature Si, which elevates a shutter 40 in front of one of the disk portions 33, as indicated at the central disk, Fig. l, depresses the forward end of the arm 35, and closes the contacts 37 42 I38 43. The effect of closing these contacts is to establish two circuits, as follows: First circuit: from dynamo 0 to conductors ff, contact-ring K, contact-pin N, conductor a, contactpin 0, button J", conductor g, lamp G, conductor a, contact-plate 42, contactpin 37, to lamp G, from lamp Gr, through conductorj, to conductor 1', to terminal plate ii, conductor 7), contact 47, contact i9, conductors 0 6 to dynamo. Second circuit: from dynamo C, conductors ff, contact-ring K, contact pin N, conductor n, contact-pin 0, button J, conductor g, through lamp G conductor d, contact-plate l3, contact-pin 38,

conductors 7c 72, magnet R, conductor i, terminal plate 4%, conductor b, contact 47, contact 49, conductors 6 e to dynamo. After an order has been transmitted a light and a shutter at the receiving-station, two lights at the transmitting station, and the bells at both stations, assuming all circuits to be in order, will be maintained in operation until such time as the engineer gives notice that the order transmitted has been obeyed. This is accom plished on his part by merely opening the normally-closed switch E, which breaks all circuits and allows all parts, with the exception of the handle and switch-arm at the transmitting instrument, to return to their original position and condition. At such time the officer at the transinitting-station can or not, as he sees fit, move the handle back to the stop position. Signal orders may be given from any position of the handle.

It will be understood that as the circuits which include the magnet R or which include the lamps G G or which include the magnet R and lamp G are in parallel that either or both of the last two mentioned circuits may be interrupted without in anywise interfering with the transmission of a-signal. If the circuit including the lamps G G is interrupted, the circuits including the magnet R and the lamp G as well as the circuit including the magnet R, will remain effective, or if both lamp-circuits are broken the circuit including the magnet R will still remain effective. In

the latter case, however, the ofiicer on the bridge will have no visible means of knowing so far as the transmission apparatus is concerned whether or not the signal transmitted has or not been observed, but will be informed by the bell at the transmitting instrument ceasing to ring when the engineers switch has been opened. 7 It will further be understood that no order will be given upon moving the handle to the right or left over the transmitting instrument unless the pin 17' is dropped into one of the slots 16 and the switch in the handle permitted to close. This enables the operator to pass over any intermediate point in the instrument, as in passing from stop to full ahead or full astern.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. In a signal-telegraph, a transmitting instrument comprising an inclosin g casing having a series of slots upon its periphery, a disk of insulating material mounted upon the interior of the casing provided with a series of connected plates interposed in position between said slots, two series of contact-buttons which correspond in position with said slots, a contact-ring, an oscillating handle provided with an arm carrying contact-pins which coact with said contacts, and a plunger which coacts with said slots.

2. In asignal-telegraph, atransmitting instrument embodying a casing, a series of slots on the periphery of the casing, an oscillating handle, a lever, a plunger controlled by said lever mounted in said handle and cooperating with said. slots, and a normally-closed switch in the handle adapted to be opened by the lever when employed to lift the plunger.

3. In a signal-telegraph, the combination of a transmitting instrument, a receiving instrument-,an independent electromagnetic circuit-controlling device interposed between the two, means energized by the transmitting instrument to close a circuit through the controlling device, and means actuated by the controlling device to close a series of circuits between the transmitting and receiving instruments. I

4. In a signal-telegraph, the combination of a transmitting instrument, a receiving instrument, an electromagnetic circuit-controlling device between the two, means energized by the transmitting instrument to close the circuit through the controlling device, means actuated by the controlling device to close a series of circuits between the transmitting and receiving instruments, and means under the control of the operator of the receiving instrument for breaking the circuit between the transmitting instrument and controlling device.

'5. In a signal-telegraph, the combination of a transmitting instrument provided with two lamps, a receiving instrument provided with a series of lamps individually in series ovopou with one of said lamps, and a series of magnets individually in series with the other of said lamps; and a controlling device interposed between said transmittingand receiv-' transmitting instrument for closing said cir-' cuits through said parts.

7. In a signal-telegraph, the combination of a transmitting instrument, a receiving instrument, a circuit-controlling device, a circuit between said transmitting instrument and controlling device, and three circuits under the control of the controlling device containing respectively a lamp at the transmitting instrument, and a lamp at the receiving instrument; a lamp at the transmitting instrument and a magnet at the receiving instrument; the transmitting instrument and a magnet at the receiving instrument.

a 8. .In a signal-telegraph, the combination of a transmitting instrument, a receiving instrument, a device for. making audible signals, and a circuit-controlling device energized from the transmitting instrument and adapted to close three circuits; one through the audible signals, one to the receiving in- Strument; one to maintain the circuit connections through its magnet.

9. In a signal-telegraph, the combination of a transmitting instrument, a receiving instrument, a circuit-controlling device energized by the transmitting instrument, an independent circuit including bells at the receiving and transmitting stations and under the control of the controlling device, and circuits including lamps and magnets at the transmitting and receiving instruments also under the control of the controlling device.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa tures in the presence of two witnesses.

ERWIN LAVENS. EDWARD JOSEPH LAVENS.

Witnesses:

J. E. PEARSON, J. A. CAVANAGH.

IIC 

